Transformers Huminated: Transform and Roll Out!
by TheWeasel027
Summary: The Humanformer Autobots are just a broken down Warp Bridge maintenance crew. That is until they discover the AllSpark, fight Megatron, and are transwarped to some city called Detroit and they become heroes. The Autobots and Decepticons are in fact human.
1. The Broken Down Maintenance Crew

"Open File: Video Files. Open File: History. Open Item: Cybertronian Civil War Documentary."

"Many years ago, Cybertron was ravaged by a war; a war within its own boundaries: the Cybertronian Civil War, also known as the Great War. The war split Cybertron into two factions: the heroic Autobots lead by Ultra Magnus and the evil Decepticons lead by the brutal Megatron each fighting for control for Cybertron. The Autobots battled valiantly, fighting bravely in the name of honor, their exploits inspiring hope and glory to the war-torn country and inspiring many generations of Cybertronians yet to come."

"What a load of bull," the grumpy old Ratchet said as the video ended, "Why do you spend all your time watching those stupid history vids?"

"Well, all the great Autobot leaders learned from the past: Alpha Trion, Orion Pax, and even Ultra Magnus," Optimus Prime explained.

"Look around Prime! The Great Wars ended centuries ago. And we're stuck out here in the middle of nowhere."

"But you were there Ratchet. What were the Decepticons really like?" Optimus asked eagerly.

"Trust me kid, it's better if you don't know," he said, rubbing a scar over his right eye, "sides, looks like the others could use a hand." Ratchet motioned to the window where Bulkhead could be seen hanging upside-down by a cable.

"Will someone help?! My wreckin' ball's stuck again!" he shouted. Optimus didn't even need a comlink to hear him.

"Bulkhead, how'd this even happen anyway?" Optimus questioned over the comlink.

"Well I was standing on an edge, and I fell, and my wrecking ball got caught on the ledge, and the cable got tied 'round my foot, now I'm just _hanging_ around." Optimus sighed.

"Bumblebee, go help Bulkhead. Ratchet and I will be there in a sec," Optimus ordered.

"On it boss- man," Bumblebee responded. Optimus got up and went to the docking bay followed by Ratchet.

"You ever get the feeling you were meant for something more than just repairing warp bridges Ratchet?"

"Well, I probably have something in my med-pack that can take care of that feeling," Ratchet chuckled.

"Never mind," Optimus sighed. He activated the docking doors and walked out onto the rocky terrain.

Meanwhile, Bulkhead was growing impatient. "I don't like heights Bumblebee!" he complained.

"Hold your horses Bulkhead. I'm going as fast as I can. And you know there's no one faster," Bumblebee bragged, leaping up the mountain side. He finally reached the ledge where the wrecking ball was wedged. He pulled out his stingers and mounted them on his gloves. They charged and fired short, small bolts of electricity at the rocks which still didn't give way. Bulkhead simply gave an unimpressed look. Bumblebee decided to try a hands on approach and started to kick the rocks.

"The blood's rushin' to my head Bee!" Bulkhead moaned, suddenly he clutched his stomach, "Ohh, I think I'm gonna hurl!"

"Just try to hold on a little longer!" Bumblebee said. He gave one final kick and broke the rock holding Bulkhead, sending him falling. However, the kick had caused the ledge to become unstable and crumbled. Bumblebee was cushioned by Bulkhead's large gut. Unfortunately the wrecking ball fell on top of Bumblebee.

"Alright, what's going on?" Optimus said, finally arriving with Ratchet close by.

"I think the technical term is, 'Buncha Big Honking Rocks Jamming Warp Bridge,'" Bumblebee informed, finally getting up.

"What I don't get is why anyone would even want to come to this Primus forsaken place," Bulkhead said.

"That's not the point Bulkhead. We have a job to do. And no job is unbeatable with the right tools and a little teamwork," Optimus then began to chop at the rocks around the Warp Bridge with his laser-axe. "Everyone lend a hand!" The others then began to break away at the rocks: Bulkhead smashed his wrecking ball, Bumblebee shot blasts of electricity, and Ratchet used his magnetizers to pick up any metallic or magnetic debris. Then, Optimus noticed someone was missing.

"Hey, wait a sec. where's Prowl?" he asked. Suddenly a golden ninja star flew through the air, struck a rock, and returned to the hand that'd thrown it: Prowl.

"Just have to know the weak spot," he said.

"Yeah, next time, you might wanna give us a little more warning," Optimus said.

"That would just mess up my timing."

"Arrogant youngsters," Ratchet sighed.

"Why he's so grumpy all the time?" Bulkhead whispered to Bumblebee.

"Well you'd be grumpy too if you had to live with being a thousand years older than anyone else," Bumblebee laughed quietly. Ratchet's hand struck Bee in the back of the head.

"I may be old, I may be grumpy, but I CAN STILL HEAR!"

"Okay listen, we may be stuck out in the middle of nowhere on a thankless assignment, but we're all still cogs in a great big Autobot machine!" Optimus lectured.

"Not this speech again," Prowl moaned to himself.

"A machine that's stronger as a whole than any one component part," he continued, not noticing the warp bridge charging behind him. "Together, we can move mountains!" On mountains, the warp gate opened forcefully, blasting apart nearby boulders and sending the Autobots flying.

"Bad choice of words Big-man!" Bumblebee shouted. Optimus activated the bolo cables in his gauntlets and swung after Bumblebee, he caught him and landed nearby Ratchet. He smashed an incoming boulder with his axe and leapt for Prowl who was hanging for dear life. He caught him with one of his bolo cables and fired the other at the warp bridge's controls, deactivating it.

Ratchet began to work on Bumblebee's arm while the others caught a breath.

"Where'd you learn moves like that?" Bulkhead asked eagerly.

"I, uh, trained at the Autobot Academy," Optimus said, suddenly embarrassed.

"So how'd an Academy student end up on a broken-down maintenance crew?" Ratchet asked.

"Yeah, shouldn't you be leading the Cybertron Elite Guard or something?" Bumblebee said.

Before Optimus could say anything, a glowing blue light could be seen emanating from behind a large boulder. Optimus stared at it and walked over. He pushed it out of the way to reveal an orange decahedron shaped object the size of a box with strange markings on the surface, a small window on the front side and handles on the left and right side.

"What is it?" Bulkhead asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we should take it to the ship so the doc can check it out," Bumblebee suggested.

"Leave it! Or better yet, throw it back into the bridge. This thing's not meant to be found," Ratchet said.

"What's got you so spooked all of a sudden Ratchet?" Optimus asked.

"Teletraan-1 to Optimus Prime. Teletraan-1 to Optimus Prime," a computer said over the comlink, "Unidentified ship detected in the vicinity's airspace. Energy signature consistent with Decepticon warship"

"Decepticons? But I thought they'd all been destroyed," Optimus said.

"They were defeated, not destroyed. But we don't have time to discuss this," Ratchet said, "Bulkhead! Carry it onto the ship pronto!"

"But I thought you said to get rid of it," Bulkhead said.

"I said pick it up!"

"What's with the sudden rush? What is this thing?" Optimus asked, confused.

"There's no time, we gotta move!" They all quickly boarded the ship and flew away.

"Prime, you're the history expert. Ever hear about the AllSpark?" Ratchet asked.

"Yeah, most powerful thing in the universe."

"Everyone knows that old story," Bulkhead said.

"Well it's true. The only reason we were able to win the Great Wars was to keep the AllSpark out of Decepticon hands. Afterwards it was judged too great a power for anyone and was thrown through a warp bridge to some random coordinates where they hoped no one would ever find it," Ratchet explained.

"So what you're saying is that we found the AllSpark. The real AllSpark?" Bumblebee questioned.

"No, I'm saying that _it found us_."

"Aircraft approaching. Confirmed to be Decepticon Warship," Teletraan-1 informed.

"It's not the only one that found us," Prowl said. The Autobots ran to the bridge and took their positions.

"It's following us," Prowl said.

"You wanted to see action kid? Careful what you wish for," Ratchet said.

"Uh hello. We're a repair crew. Please don't tell me you're actually thinking of taking on Decepticons!" Bumblebee panicked.

"Not without back up. Contact Cybertron Command," Optimus ordered. A screen appeared on the holo-projector.

"Well, if it isn't my old buddy Optimus Prime. How long's it been two- three years?" Sentinel Prime greeted.

"Don't start Sentinel; just put me through to Ultra Magnus."

"Now what is so important that you think the Autobot Supreme Commander would talk to an Academy washout?"

Optimus frowned. "Display cargo hold visual." Another screen appeared and showed the AllSpark glowing in the center of the cargo bay.

"I- I'll put you through right away," Sentinel said, suddenly serious. The screen closed. Ratchet smiled at Optimus. Another screen appeared this time with Ultra Magnus.

"Ultra Magnus here. We're tracking your Decepticon signal now. Probably just another scout ship. Ever since the Cons were banished, they've been wandering around trying to find any source of income. But they'd never be foolish enough to attack an Autobot ship. Just stay where you are. We'll have some backup there soon to assist and pickup the AllSpark. And Prime, don't try to be a hero. Ultra Magnus out." The screen disappeared.

"Decepticons closing in fast," Prowl informed.

"So what do we do?" Bumblebee asked.

"Alright guys, head for that coast over there. We'll lose the Cons in the valleys," Optimus ordered.

"But Magnus said to stay put," Bulkhead protested.

"With all due respect, Ultra Magnus isn't carrying the AllSpark. So head for the mountains, try to find a warp bridge, and blast through whatever's in our way."

"Uhh boss-man, I don't think we can blast through that," Bulkhead said, pointing at the huge Decepticon War Cruiser. Prime searched the database for some info about the ship.

"It's a command ship. I'd recognize the markings anywhere." Optimus pulled up a screen to show the others.

"Megatron…" Ratchet said under his breath.

"Megatron?! As in the cruel, vicious, Decepticon leader who eats Autobots for breakfast?!"

******************************************************************

"Megatron is a fool who's been chasing a ghost!" Starscream said staring at the puny Autobot carrier before them, "I seriously doubt we'll find this 'AllSpark' aboard such an insignificant vessel."

"TRAITOR!" Lugnut suddenly shouted, "Megatron is wise! Megatron is bold! Megatron will return the Decepticons to Cybertron! And—"

"'And wipe our home clean from the stench of Autobot tyranny' blah blah blah. Tell me Lugnut, did you memorize that speech?" Blackarachnia mocked, "Or is it just _drilled_ into that _thick_, one-track, skull of yours!" suddenly her hand was frozen by a blue laser.

"As usual Blackarachnia, your demeanor is as disgusting as those _grotesque _webs of yours," Blitzwing stated with a shiver at "grotesque".

"Go shove it three-face," Blackarachnia hissed. She broke her hand free by simply flexing her hand into a fist. Blitzwing twitched wildly.

"The name is Blitzving insect! Remember it! BECAUSE IT VILL BE THE LAST THING YOU SAY BEFORE I—!" he twitched wildly again, "express my feelings in song! The itsy, bitsy spider crawled up the water spout!" Blackarachnia shouted in anger while Blitzwing continued singing.

"Will you two just quiet down!" Starscream shouted.

"You be quiet Starscream!" Lugnut roared. Soon enough they were all shouting at each other (minus Blitzwing who continued his song). The bridge door opened. Megatron entered the room and everyone immediately shut up and stood stiffly (even Blitzwing). Megatron took a seat at his throne and the others took their own positions.

"Starscream, report," Megatron ordered.

"Energy signal is off the scale my liege. Shall we fire on the Autobots?"

"Cripple the ship, but don't destroy it. Once it crashed among the mountains, we will steal the source of the power."

"Oh yes, yes! Brilliant plan oh great one!" Starscream kissed up. The ship charged its lasers.

******************

"Teletraan-1! Evasive maneuvers!" Optimus commanded. The ship dodged just as a large laser blasted part of a mountain apart. "Activate emergency defense system! Code name: Omega!"

"I'm sorry, this function has been disabled in compliance with Cybertron's ongoing efforts to conserve Energon," the computer responded.

"Wh-what?" Optimus gasped. The ship shook as another laser managed to make contact.

"We're all gonna die aren't we?" Bumblebee predicted.

"Warning: Incoming mountain range. Preparing alternate course," the computer said.

"Override!" Optimus ordered.

*****************************************************************

"I've got a match on the energy reading," Blackarachnia announced, "If it's not the AllSpark, it's something just as powerful."

"I volunteer to deploy and _breach_ the Autobot ship!" Starscream insisted.

"I didn't spend the last twenty years searching for the AllSpark just for you to get your greasy hands on it," Megatron said. He gripped Starscream's shoulder to his pain. "I will harness its power into the ultimate weapon, and _crush_ the Autobots for good." He got up and shoved Starscream out of the way.

"We'll just have to get that fixed then won't we?" Starscream muttered. He followed Megatron to the docking bay where Megatron had just finished putting on his armor and weaponry.

"What do you want now?" Starscream walked over and patted Megatron on the back.

"Only to wish you luck on your mission."

"I do not believe in _luck_." Megatron opened the airlock and leapt out then activated his flight back and flew straight towards the Autobot ship unaware of the bomb Starscream had planted on his back.

"Neither do I," Starscream said to himself.

*******************************************************

"Is that Megatron?" Optimus gasped.

"You never said he was so big," Bulkhead said, even though he was easily as tall as Bulkhead.

"You never said he could fly!" Bumblebee exclaimed. Then Megatron disappeared from visual.

"Guess he wasn't coming for us," Bulkhead shrugged. They looked at each other. Then a blast could be heard outside the hull. Megatron was trying to blast his way in.

"Ratchet, seal the hull breach!" Optimus commanded, "Prowl keep the ship steady! Bulkhead and Bumblebee protect the AllSpark! I'll hold off Megatron!" Optimus activated the manipulation arms on the ship and tried to hold Megatron but he shot at one of the arms and dodged the other. Suddenly his bomb exploded sending the ship flying straight down.

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"Yes!" Starscream cheered, "Right then. Solemn face. Solemn face." He then walked off to inform the others of the "bad" news.

********************************************

"Warning: Impact imminent," the computer said.

"Go to manual override!" Optimus ordered.

"Can you even do that?" Prowl questioned. The steering controls slid out. Optimus grabbed the controller and steered them away from the approaching mountain. Optimus could see a Warp bridge ahead at the end of the valley. He sped towards it.

Meanwhile in the cargo bay, the AllSpark was glowing hot.

"What's that thing doing?" Bumblebee asked Bulkhead. The AllSpark shot a laser of energy that passed like a ghost through the wall directly to the warp bridge which activated. Teletraan-1 flew into the warp gate which exploded when they passed through, destroying the bridge and nearby terrain.

******************************************************************

"This is a dark day in Decepticon history," Starscream faked, watching the explosion and grinning, "May the legacy of our fallen Megatron live on in our hearts for the rest of our lives. As I proclaim myself new leader, I solemnly swear to—" he turned to his audience which had left for the escape pods at the explosion, "Hey! Where's everybody gone?!" He turned back to see the explosion drawing closer.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

******************************************************************

Teletraan-1 appeared in the airspace above an unknown location.

"Is everyone okay?" Optimus asked. Ratchet and Prowl nodded. "Bulkhead; Bumblebee report," Prime said over the comlink, unaware of the tall figure behind him. Megatron grabbed Optimus and thrust him against the wall.

"The AllSpark, where is it?!" Megatron demanded. Prowl and Ratchet tried to help, but were both easily knocked away, even though Megatron had been severely beaten by the explosion. "I grow impatient." Optimus activated his bolo cables and managed to hit Megatron square in the jaw then kicked him away.

"Hey what's going on in here?!" Bumblebee intruded. Bulkhead ran behind him and rammed into him.

"Oops, sorry," he apologized.

"Guh!" Bumblebee landed right on his butt right in front of Megatron. "Ya know? You're even uglier from this angle!" he laughed. Megatron snarled and pulled out his sword which he swung at the young Autobot. "Scarier too!" Bumblebee finished as he dodged.

"Alright, everyone prepare for a concentrated attack on my signal," Optimus ordered. But Prowl had other plans. He charged at Megatron with his throwing stars at the ready. "I said wait for my signal!" He grabbed at Prowl but missed. Megatron saw the attack coming and swung right through Prowl. It was a hologram.

The real Prowl had snuck up behind Megatron, wrapped his arms around Megatron's left arm, and snapped it.

"GAH!" he screamed painfully.

"Okay, the decoy was a nice touch, but once again a little warning would be nice!" Optimus shouted. Bulkhead, meanwhile, tried to charge at Megatron, but slipped and ran into Optimus. "Would it kill you guys to say something like I don't know, 'heads up' or 'watch out' or—"

"Incoming!" Ratchet shouted. He used his magnetizers to throw a piece of equipment at Megatron. Megatron was knocked into the controls. The ship took a nose dive sending Optimus and Megatron flying into the cargo bay. Megatron quickly recovered and kept Optimus down with his foot.

"Now bring me the AllSpark, and I may spare your miserable Autobot lives." Megatron raised his sword and struck at Optimus but was blocked by his axe. Then Megatron's eye was caught by a blue glow. This gave Optimus enough of a distraction to activate the axe's telescoping handle and hit the button to open the airlock door. Optimus managed to prevent himself from being sucked out the airlock. Megatron grabbed onto his leg. Optimus kicked Megatron with his free leg sending him flying out the door screaming all the way down.

****************************************************

In the small town of Paw Paw, there was a home filled with all kinds of inventions, and the Isaac Sumdac sat in its attic, coming up with new inventions when he saw something falling in the sky and crash nearby. Isaac ran outside to find it. And in a nearby field, he found a horribly broken body wrapped in armor.

****************************************************************

"Everyone head for the stasis pods!" Optimus ordered. Everyone left the bridge except for Bumblebee.

"What about you?!"

"Not until I've steered us clear of this populated area!" Optimus struggled to steer the ship away from the buildings. He managed to avoid any crashes and went to the stasis pods leaving the ship to splash into a large lake and sink to the bottom.

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	2. Autobots Attack

***********************************************************

20 Years Later...

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"Way back in the early 20th century, Detroit was known as the world's leading manufacturer of automobiles. If you wanted a car, it was probably made here in Detroit. But now as we enter the 21st century, Detroit has once again become the world's leading manufacturer, not of automobiles, but automatons! Robots! Always faithful, forever serving, no task to mundane, unpleasant, or difficult. Unaffected by any fear or phobia and able to survive in environments impossible for any human to survive. And it is here, in this very building where the automatons make their first step to better all mankind," Isaac Sumdac, now in his mid-forties, introduced, "Now, are there any questions?"

"Uh, Mister Sumdac, how'd you come up with all this cool stuff?" a kid asked.

"Well, when I was young, I was already an aspiring inventor. But then, well let's just say that luck was on my side, and soon enough, I was creating the latest and greatest machi—Woah!" Sumdac was tripped by a small mechanical puppy running through his legs. The dog was then followed by an eight year old redheaded girl with dark skin.

"Sparkplug! You get back here you mangy little fur-bot!" the girl demanded. She eventually caught the dog-bot and tried to pull something out of its mouth: a keycard. "Let go, n-n-n-now!" The dog let go with a bark and what could be perceived as a smile. The girl fell backwards and landed on top of her dad who was roughly only as tall as she was though much wider.

"Sorry dad," she apologized. Sumdac got up and brushed off the dust.

"Everyone I'd like to introduce my daughter, Sari Sumdac," her father introduced, "Sari, what do you say?" The gum-bubble Sari was blowing popped and covered her face.

"Anyone got a pair of scissors?" she asked. She managed to get the gum off then chewed it again. "Never mind."

"Eww..." the crowd said simultaneously. Her father merely sighed.

"So, what's it like to grow up around all these robots anyway?" a boy asked.

"I dunno, what's it like to go to school with other kids?" she answered.

"Once again, I'd like to apologize for my daughter's behavior, but she must be going back to her studies now," Sumdac said. Her tudor-bot appeared behind her and dragged her away.

"No! Not the tudor-bot! Anything but the tudor-bot! Nooo!" she screamed.

************************************************************

"Here we are working on a set of special nano-bots," Sumdac motioned to the window next to them, revealing a lab filled with scientists buzzing around, "We believe that we can create microscopic robots that can be placed inside the human body and then self-replicate, acting like super white blood cells. This, my friends, is the first step to breaking the barrier between technological and organic. Possibly even the gateway to immortality!"

As Sumdac spoke, down in the lab, something was going horribly wrong. A roach being used to test the nano-bots began to grow quickly. Within seconds, the roach had grown to the size of a full-grown human and broken out of its container. It knocked over another container of nanos and absorbed them, suddenly going berserk, tearing through the lab and absorbing most of the technology and one of the scientists. The super roach leapt up and crawled the wall, heading straight for Sumdac's tour group...

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"Warning! Code red! All units to Sumdac Systems! Repeat! Code red!" the police scanner announced, just before Captain Fanzone managed to take a bite out of his Burger Bot Burger.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way," he replied. He ate the burger in three bites and drove off.

********************************************************************

The entire police force, most of the fire department, and several ambulances were waiting anxiously outside Sumdac Tower. Suddenly the roach, now three stories tall, leapt out of the building and roared.

Fanzone had finally arrived. "This is why I hate machines," he pulled up a megaphone, "Test. Testing one two." The megaphone squeaked irritably. "Will someone get me a bullhorn that works for crying out loud?!" An officer handed him another megaphone.

"Alright!" Fanzone shouted into the bullhorn, "SWAT teams get that thing away from the civilians! Emergency crews evacuate the people inside the building!" The SWAT teams shot at the giant roach. The roach, however, was unaffected and swung at them, absorbing most of the team and a police car.

Meanwhile, Isaac Sumdac, the tour group, and almost all the scientists were being led out by the fire department.

"Wait, wait! My daughter's still in there!" Sumdac protested, "Sari! SARI!"

***********************************************************************

"Sparkplug!" Sari called, "Sparkplug! What happened in here?" She looked around at the destruction of the factory searching for her robotic dog.

**********************************************************************

"Alright! Pull out the big guns!" Fanzone ordered. The SWAT teams then armed themselves with bazookas and aimed for the roach, waiting for the order to fire.

"Wait, Captain Fanzone, please, you don't want to attack this creature!" Sumdac advised.

"Oh yeah? Watch me," Fanzone replied, "Fire!" RPGs flew through the air at the giant insect and blew it apart, covering the area in goo.

"Oh dear," Sumdac muttered, more out of worry than disgust. And his worries were correct. The pieces began to ooze over everything and collect into one giant mass that reformed itself into the roach, except for one piece which had fallen into Lake Erie, and was now searching for something to absorb.

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Deep down, at the bottom of the lake, the goo had found something. It crept into a small crack in the hull and found its way in.

"Alert! Alert! Foreign object detected!" the security blared. The stasis pods that held the Autobots in a coma deactivated and awakened them.

"What's going on?" Bumblebee yawned.

"Search the ship for the problem," Optimus ordered. The rest nodded and looked around the ship for roughly two minutes when Ratchet announced over the comlink that he'd found the problem: a blob of rolling mass that was trying to "eat" part of a chair. Ratchet had caught it with his magnetizers and held it in a floating magnetic field.

"What is it?" Bumblebee asked. He tried to poke it but Ratchet slapped his hand away.

"You apparently don't understand the concept of 'looking with your eyes' do you Bumblebee?" Ratchet grumbled. Optimus walked over to the computer.

"Teletraan-1, deploy a reconnaissance drone." A small rocket shot out of the hull and splashed out of the lake. A small camera fed a video feed of a huge monster attacking some police while they shot at it with little results.

"Looks like those guys could use a hand," Bumblebee commented.

"And I know just who's gonna lend one," Optimus replied.

"You don't mean—" Bulkhead began. Optimus gave him a smile.

"He means," Bee finished glumly.

"Ratchet, you stay here and analyze this stuff. I got a feeling the monster and this thing are linked somehow," Optimus said. Ratchet nodded. "The rest of you, let's get on the Rover and help those guys out. Move out!"

"Hey, has anyone seen my other stinger?" Bumblebee asked.

******************************************************************

"All units fall back!" Fanzone ordered. The vehicles retreated while the monster continued to chase them. Then, a small rover drove onto the dock without any notice, and four people walked out.

"Now, try not to attract any attention until we can confirm there are no Decepticons," Optimus told the others.

"What do those idiots think they're doing?! You guys! I said fall back!" Fanzone ordered, "Wait a sec, they're not police." The four "civilians" were ducking and dodging the swinging tentacles then counter attacking to little effect.

One tentacle wrapped around Bulkhead, "Hey! Anyone wanna help?!" Bumblebee leapt into the air and fired his stingers at the tentacle.

"Hey, wait a sec, where are those guys going?" Bumblebee pointed at the retreating SWAT teams and fire trucks.

*******************************************************************

"Sparkplug, get back here!" Sari demanded. Her dog had led her outside when she finally managed to grab him.

"Hey, who's that?" Bulkhead asked pointing at a redheaded girl wrestling with her robotic dog.

"Sparkplug, for the last time, GIVE THAT BACK!" Sari finally managed to wrestle away the keycard when Bulkhead appeared in front of her.

"Hello little girl. Did you lose your mommy?" Bulkhead said in a cute baby-like tone. Unfortunately, he failed to notice that she wasn't looking at him, but the tentacle looming behind him.

"AAAAAAAAAAHH!" she screamed.

"Look out!" Bumblebee shouted. Bulkhead and Bumblebee managed to doge in time; however, the tentacle grabbed Sari and was now holding her hostage thirty meters up at least.

"That girl needs our help!" Optimus observed, "Autobots, formation Alpha!" The Autobots then activated their weaponry: Optimus's battle axe, Prowl's throwing stars, Bumblebee's stingers, and Bulkhead's wrecking ball.

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"Sari! That's my daughter up there! Captain Fanzone, you must send someone to help!" Fanzone simply turned Sumdac so he was now staring at the four people still fighting the monster.

Sari, meanwhile, had stopped screaming and was watching Optimus. His axe activated and glowed blue.

"Cool," she uttered.

******************************************************************

"Autobots ATTACK!" Optimus shouted. He leapt and activated the rocket on his axe flew him in a front flip and gave him enough momentum to slice right through a tentacle. Prowl launched his throwing stars, but they were merely absorbed by the monster.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!" Bulkhead launched his wrecking ball and hit the monster in the head. It dropped Sari, but Bumblebee caught her.

"Hi I'm Bumblebee," he introduced.

"I'm Sari," she replied.

"Ah don't be, I like my name," he smiled. He put her down inside a car garage.

"No what I mean is my name is Sari," she corrected.

"Ohh..."

"So who are you anyway?"

"I'm an Autobot," he began.

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	3. Small and Fast

"Is that young man one of yours?" Isaac asked Fanzone.

"Don't think so, but he seems to have a thing for your daughter," Fanzone observed, "All units, bring in the kid in the yellow jacket but don't harm the girl."

Several mini-copters flew into the garage and started firing stun lasers at Bumblebee.

"Hey! I'm on your side!" he insisted.

***************************************************************

Bulkhead launched his wrecking ball again, but this time the monster managed to grab and absorb it; however, it didn't stop at the ball and continued down the cable. Bulkhead was doing all he could to hold onto the handle.

"Guh! Uh, Optimus?! I've got a problem!" Bulkhead announced. Optimus grabbed onto the cable and helped Bulkhead pull.

"Prowl, mind lending a hand?!" Prowl, in response, sliced through the cable sending Bulkhead and Optimus flying backwards. Optimus gave him an annoyed look.

"What? He wouldn't let go," Prowl reminded.

"That's not the point Prowl. We're a team, and we need to act as one. We need to be able to trust each other," Optimus lectured.

"There's only one person I trust: me." Prowl leapt into the air and attacked with amazing speed and ferocity, but he misstepped and was grabbed and absorbed by a tentacle.

*************************************************************

Zap! Another copter-bot went down. But for every one Bumblebee shot, two seemed to take its place. Then, he saw something in the corner of his eye: Prowl had been sucked in by the monster.

"I'd love to stay longer," Bumblebee charged the stingers and fired several bolts at all the remaining droids, "but I've got a friend in need!" Bumblebee gave one last look at Sari and ran off.

**********************************************************************

"Ratchet, we need backup!" Optimus announced on the com link.

"I'm busy!" he responded.

"NOW!"

"If you had bothered to scan the thing you're attacking, you'd have learned that its nanites are programmed to attack anything that it doesn't recognize!"

"That's very interesting, but how do we stop it?!"

"I can whip up an override program, but it'll take a short bit. Just hold him a little longer."

"Can do, but hurry it up!" Optimus clicked off the com link.

"'Hurry up?' At my age, this is as 'hurry it up' as it gets..."

***************************************************************

Sari popped out of the door to the roof of the car garage to get a better look at the spectacle below. The fat guy with the wrecking ball wacked at the giant. The axe guy sliced some tentacles. And Bumblebee was ducking, diving, and stinging. She could only marvel at the sheer coolness of what was happening below.

********************************************************************

"Ratchet to Prime, I've finished the override, but unfortunately you're gonna have to upload it manually." The scout drone flew down to Optimus and opened a hatch revealing an upload device shaped like a dagger.

"Anything else we need to know?" Optimus asked.

"It gets worse. The bug seems to have a buncha nanites in its head working like a brain. And it's heavily guarded so the only way to do it is to do it inside the head." As they spoke, the roach grabbed onto a small boat and began to absorb it.

"Uh, Optimus? What happens when that thing eats a whole boat?" Bulkhead worried.

"I don't want to wait long enough to find out," Optimus stated.

"So who we gonna get to put the override in that thing?" Bumblebee asked.

"Well, we'll need someone small, and fast," Optimus looked at Bumblebee. Bulkhead followed his look. Bumblebee glanced at both of them.

"Uh, heh heh," he gave a worried chuckle, "Why's everybody lookin' at me?"

"We'll keep the thing distracted while you activate the override," Optimus told him.

"But why's it got to be me?! How am I supposed to get up there anyway?!"

"You can do it little buddy, with a little speed and a big enough ramp," Bulkhead pointed to the top of the mass garage.

"Ya know? All things considered, fixing warp bridges wasn't too bad a gig," Bumblebee remarked. He activated a set of motorized wheels on the bottom of his heel and zoomed into the mass garage. A tentacle followed behind Bumblebee and tried to grab him but missed.

"Why's it goin' after Beebee?" Bulkhead wondered, "You think it hears us?" Optimus didn't answer and instead activated his axe's telescoping handle to pole vault twenty feet in the air to attack the roach. The roach counter attacked and knocked Optimus back to the ground.

"It's certainly getting smarter," he groaned, "smart like... _Prowl_." Then he realized something. "Bumblebee abort!"

"I can't! I'm almost there!" he responded. Meanwhile, Bulkhead and Optimus had been grabbed by the roach.

"The thing merged with Prowl's comlink! It's heard everything!" Optimus informed before being sucked in.

"Then listen to this!" Bumblebee burst out of the door to the mass garage's roof and launched himself over the edge. "You're going DOWN!" He flew over Sari's head, twenty feet through the air, and into the thing's mouth.

"Bumblebee!" Sari cried out. The monster returned to wreaking havoc, but then it stopped. It growled, then roared. But the roar wasn't angry, it was painful. The monster jerked and writhed until it suddenly exploded into a cloud of raining dust. Amongst the falling nanites were Bulkhead, Optimus, Bumblebee, and several scientists and police officers. After thirty seconds of recovery the three wake up to the sound of cheers.

"Hey, I was wondering where that went to!" Bulkhead happily picked up his wrecking ball and tied the cord of the ball and handle together. After he was sure there was current, he pressed a button on the handle and the wrecking ball mass shifted to the size of a baseball. He then attached it to his belt.

Meanwhile, Optimus had found Prowl.

"What happened?" Prowl groaned.

"We saved your life, whether you wanted it or not," Optimus told him. Then Prowl went unconscious again. "Prowl?" Optimus said, and then saw the Prowl was bleeding...

*******************************************************************


	4. The AllSpark

"We need to get him to Ratchet, stat," Optimus announced. Bulkhead carefully picked up Prowl and carried him to the rover. "Autobots, roll out!" Optimus shouted and followed him. Bumblebee was about to board when he was stopped by Sari.

"Omigosh, Bumblebee, youweresocool! Yousavedeverybodyandstoppedthemonster! It wastheawesomestthing EVER!" she squeaked at once.

"Sari, take it easy. I have to go. My friend, he's hurt. Real bad," Bumblebee said solemnly.

"Can I come with you? Please please please?" Sari begged.

"No Sari."

"But I wanna know more about you."

"No Sari."

"I can help!"

"_No Sari_."

"I said ROLL OUT Bumblebee!" Optimus bellowed.

"Coming!" he replied.

"I promise to be real quiet," she whispered. Bumblebee glanced unsurely back at the rover. "You can trust this face, can't you?" she smiled innocently.

"Yeah alright," Bumblebee sighed, "There's a closet you can hide in until we get on the ship. But you've gotta stay quiet! Until I can figure out an excuse."

"Yes!" she shouted eagerly. Bumblebee looked at her angrily. "I mean uh, yesss..." She ran onboard the rover behind Bumblebee.

**************************************************************

"Ah yes. Good as new," Bulkhead smiled at his newly repaired wrecking ball.

"So how's Prowl?" Optimus asked. Ratchet frowned.

"Is he gonna, ya know, kick the bucket?" Bumblebee asked.

"Well, he's not dead yet, that much can be said," Ratchet said. Bumblebee caught something in the corner of his eye: Sari was peeping around the corner for a look into the Med room.

"Uh, I've gotta use the bathroom," Bumblebee announced, "Be right back!" He ran out the door and pushed Sari into the hallway. "Sari!" he whispered loudly, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I wanted to see," she explained.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble I could get in for letting you on board?"

"Okay, okay, I get it." Bumblebee took two steps back into the room then looked back at Sari. She smiled innocently. Bumblebee reluctantly went back into the Med room.

"So, anything new?"

"Bumblebee, you've only been gone thirty seconds. Nothing's new," Ratchet growled. Bumblebee gasped. Once again, Sari was trying to get a look in on the Med room.

"Uh, I gotta go to the bathroom again!" He ran out and could be heard "whispering" from inside the Med room for a full minute. When it ended, the Autobots looked at each other. Bumblebee then returned.

"Okay, what I miss?" he asked.

"Those nanobots get in your brain or something Bumblebee?" Bulkhead asked.

"Oh no, I'm perfectly fine," Bumblebee smiled. The smile turned to a shocked frown when he saw Sari, trying to put on one of his stingers. "Though I seem to have lost all control of my bladder! Be right back!" He ran out into the hallway, grabbed Sari, ran down the hallway, and snatched back his stinger.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Bumblebee had at this point forgotten all about stealth.

"Well those stinger things of yours are really cool," Sari said.

"I thought I told you not to touch anything!" Bumblebee was now waving his arms angrily.

"You just told me to lay low," she corrected.

"AND YOU CALL THIS LAYING LOW?!" In his frantic waving, Bumblebee knocked over some equipment making very large bangs. Now Bumblebee could hear footsteps in the hallway coming his way.

"Uh, uh, uh, uh," Bumblebee searched for a place to hide Sari and found a ventilation shaft. "Stay where ever you end up. I'll come get you." He picked Sari up and dropped her into the chute just before Optimus appeared behind a corner.

"Everything okay Bumblebee?"

"Oh, yeah I feel much better now!" Bumblebee giggled nervously.

*********************************************************************

Sari laughed as she slid down chute. She grunted when she fell out of it and hit the ground on her butt. Suddenly, she was bathed in a blue light. She squinted and looked for the source. It was some kind of weird box that had opened up and revealed a bright blue orb. She had never seen anything like it before, and yet, she was drawn to it. It felt like an old friend long lost. It called to her, and she came closer. She reached out until she touched it. It flashed and knocked her back. Suddenly, images flashed through her head: cities, people, animals, plants, and what seemed to be memories of past lives.

"Okay, that was weird," she told herself. The orb then concentrated its light into a blue beam that pointed at her key card. It morphed and shifted into a blue t-shaped key with markings of a brighter blue color.

"If you screwed up my key, you owe me my security deposit," she told the box. Then she felt a hand grab her shoulder...

*******************************************************************

"Sari, you in here?" Bumblebee asked. He'd looked all over the ship to no luck. He prayed to Primus that she hadn't gone wandering again.

"Hello Bumblebee," Optimus greeted.

"Uh oh hi Prime! I was just uh-" he was stopped when he saw that Sari was standing right next to him. She waved nervously.

"So, I suppose you have an explanation for this?" Optimus crossed his arms.

"Actually, I'm down to my top five," Bumblebee said.

"Prime! Get up here now!" Ratchet barked over the intercom.

***********************************************************

Prime, Bumblebee, and Sari walked into the Med room. Ratchet was still trying to operate on Prowl.

"His condition's getting worse! I can't keep him stable!" Ratchet shouted. Sari's key then began to glow hot and pull itself to Prowl's table. Bumblebee realized what was happening and helped her onto the table. She smiled at him and knelt over Prowl. She took the key off her head. She didn't know how, but she knew what to do. She pushed the key against his skin. The key glowed and passed through the flesh like a ghost. She pulled it out after a few seconds. All Prowl's wounds then began to heal and soon enough he'd woken up.

"That- is quite the cure," Prowl said. He wiped some blood off his arm. The wound had completely disappeared. Everyone else in the room stared slack-jawed at the spectacle.

"How'd you do that?!" Bumblebee gasped.

"I have no clue," Sari answered.

"It's official, I've seen everything," Optimus announced, "I've witnessed more action in this one year, than in my entire career as an Autobot.

"Year's not over yet," Ratchet looked at a vis-screen that showed everyone several scuba-bots searching the lake.

"I think my dad's looking for me," Sari said.

******************************************************************

The rover rolled onto the docks. The Autobots and Sari ran out to meet by several police cars.

"Put your hands where I can see 'em!" Fanzone ordered over the megaphone. The Autobots obediently raised their hands.

"It's okay, they're friendly! Well, except for the old guy in red and white. He's kinda grumpy," Sari defended. Her father then pushed his way out of the police crowd and ran to her daughter then smothered her in hugs.

"Oh Sari! I was so worried!" he told her.

"So, Dad, can we keep 'em?" she asked.


	5. Life In Detroit

*****************************************************************

What seemed like only yesterday, the Optimus and his crew where just warp bridge technicians. Then they were fighting Megatron, in some new land, battling a giant roach creature, and making friends with a local girl who is daughter to the richest man in the city. Now they were being blinded by flashing cameras and deafened by the sound of cheers and clapping.

"I would like to thank the Autobots for their acts of bravery yesterday and welcome them as Detroit's newest super heroes!" Isaac announced on a microphone. Optimus walked to the shorter man and shook his hand.

"And to think, Ultra Magnus had told us not to be a hero. Is this what it was like back in your day Ratchet?" Optimus asked.

"The Decepticons never left us a whole lot to cheer about..."

*****************************************************************

"Twenty years of searching, but the AllSpark is close. I can _feel it_!" Starscream mumbled to himself, "And once I find it, the Decepticons will have no choice but to follow me! I will be the most powerful being in the universe!" The computers then began to beep wildly.

"An energy signal?" The computer displayed a map of a state called Michigan and a beeping dot near a city called Detroit.

"Looks promising. Extremely promising..."

*******************************************************************

"Come on move it! I might as well be walking!" an old man shouted from his car.

"That's a good idea," Bulkhead said. He stepped off the bus and walked through the traffic jam while humming to himself.

********************************************************************

"Look! It's an Autobot!" a bystander pointed at Prowl. Prowl, in his attempt to remain still, attracted a bird who dropped a small turd on his head earning an audible moan from Prowl.

***************************************************************

"Are you sure this is edible?" Bumblebee asked while poking his Burger Bot burger.

"Well, this is what we eat in Detroit. Just try it, I'm sure you'll love it," Sari assured. She took a bite of her burger. Bumblebee took an unsure look at the burger and took a bite. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted. He wolfed down the burger in three more huge bites.

"You okay Bumblebee?"

"Mph mmm mm!" he answered.

*************************************************************

"Uhh, sir?" a police officer tried to awake some guy that had been sleeping on the bus stop bench for roughly over an hour, "Sir, you've been here for hours and haven't even attempted to get on a bus. Sir?" The old man named Ratchet stirred.

"Guh! Can't a guy get a nap around here?!" he barked, "Well if this is how you treat your guests, then I'm gone!" He pushed the officer out of the way and stomped off. The officer confusingly scratched his head.

*****************************************************************

"Okay, you guys need a secret base. A super hide out. A fortress of solitude," Sari told the Autobots.

"A whozzawhat and a who now?" Bumblebee questioned.

"Nevermind," Sari sighed, "And some ship at the bottom of Lake Erie is way too far off. But then, I remembered this place." She pointed her flashlight at a broken down building.

"What the heck is 'this place?'" Bulkhead asked.

"It's an abandoned auto factory my dad got in a merger. But since my dad got Sumdac Tower, he never really ever needed this place. At this point, he's probably forgotten that he even owns it," Sari explained. Bulkhead lifted up the sliding wall. The others pointed their flashlights throughout the building.

"Looks like a real fixer-upper," Bumblebee commented.

"Well as long as I can just sit down and have a quick nap, I don't care where _I'm _staying," Bulkhead replied, making a small couch out of some tires and sheeting. Before Bulkhead could doze off, however, sirens could be heard in the distance.

"Sounds like someone could use some help," Optimus said.

"Does this mean I'm not gonna have that nap?" Bulkhead groaned.

*******************************************************************

The sirens had been for a fire in a downtown building. An apartment building unfortunately. When they arrived, they immediately got to work. Optimus used the foam shooter in his gauntlets to put out some of the fire. Ratchet used his magnetizers to save the people on a falling balcony from falling to their doom. Meanwhile Bumblebee, Prowl, and Bulkhead ran inside.

"Bumblebee, you go down that way," Prowl directed, "Bulkhead, you take that way. I'll head this way." The others nodded and went their respective ways: Bumblebee went up the stairs, Prowl took the left corridor, and Bulkhead went right.

Within minutes, most of the fire had been put out thanks to Optimus and the fire department. And just when he was beginning to worry, Bulkhead walked out carrying several children in his arms and on his back. Following behind him was Bumblebee who had saved a girl roughly his age and was carrying her in his arms. When he assured her she was safe, she gave him a kiss on the cheek (he then blushed redder than a raspberry and gave a very satisfied smile). He put her down, and then she ran to her parents.

"Hey, where's Prowl?" Optimus asked. And on, "where's" Prowl leapt out of a second story window and landed gracefully, carrying a baby. A mom ran to Prowl, thanked him a thousand times, and then ran back into the crowd.

"Uh, Bumblebee, your hair's smoking," Bulkhead observed.

"What?!" he cried. He patted madly at his hair until he was sure the smoking had stopped.

******************************************************************

Meanwhile, the Autobots were unaware, that somewhere amongst the ruins of a Decepticon warship, Starscream was watching them.

"So, you Autobot's believe yourselves to be heroes? Pathetic," he commented. He got out of his former master's throne and went into the armory and began to suit up. "Well then prepare yourselves Autobots." He attached his null ray blasters to his forearms, the final component to his arsenal. "You're about to take a fall!"


	6. Starscream

"Here at Sumdac Systems, we are proud to present to you the latest design of Sumdac Systems: The Fully Automated Rapid Transit Systems," Sumdac introduced the newest electronic train. The name earned a few giggles from the audience. Sumdac seemed confused but shrugged it off. "We have high hopes for this train as it can travel great distances in short times, and is worked entirely by an auto pilot. And we hope that it will thrust us even closer to having a fully environmentally-friendly world!" The crowd then cheered vigorously.

"I would like to thank the mayor, Captain Fanzone, and a very special thank you to our cities very own super heroes, the Autobots!" Sumdac led the audience in a cheer that shook the walls of the town hall in front of them.

"They keep calling us heroes, but I don't feel any more of a hero than I did repairing warp bridges," Optimus told Ratchet.

"In my day, heroes ended up in the emergency room, or the morgue. And I'm not quite ready to meet Primus just yet," Ratchet replied grimly.

********************************************************************

"Eagle-2 to Eagle-1, have you spotted the bogie?"

"Affirmative, it's hiding behind that cloud bank over there. Sure is small though."

"Copy that. Moving to intercept."

"Unidentified aircraft, you have entered private airspace. Identify yourself now or you will be treated as a hostile." The jets tried to surround the object to get a better look at object. A purple laser blast ripped apart one of the jet's wings sending it spiraling downward. Then Starscream appeared out of the cloud.

"You haven't seen 'hostile' yet!" He fired at another jet's wings sending it into a nosedive. The remaining two jets attempted to fire, but Starscream maneuvered easily out of the way, and hid right under one of the jets.

"Now, where is that fuel tank?" Starscream wondered. It had been a while since he had needed his mechanical knowledge. "Ah yes, right here." He backed away from the bottom of the jet and fired right at the fuel tank causing it to explode. He then took out the other jet just as easily.

"Now, with those _distractions_ taken care of, I can move on to my objective," Starscream said, checking the holo-map for his destination.

********************************************************************

"Now with all the introductions done, and that wonderful speech from Mayor Edsel, I'd like to finish off this inauguration with a performance from the one and only Crimson Angels!" Sumdac waved his hand to the sky where six red jets flew through the air and performed aerial acrobatics and shot a fantastic display of fireworks.

"For once, something that flies that's not a Decepticon," Bumblebee breathed.

"Odd, some of those fireworks look more like explosions," Isaac noticed, "Maybe they're using different kinds of powder?" Soon enough, one of the Angels exploded, followed quickly by the rest. The crowd panicked and scattered.

"It couldn't be," Ratchet gasped. From the smoke in the sky, a figure flew out and fired a null ray blast at the stage. The Autobots were blasted backwards by the force. Then, the attacker landed.

"_Greetings_ Autobots! Mind if I crash the party?" Starscream sneered.

*****************************************************************

"A Deception? Here?" Optimus gasped.

"The name is Starscream! Exalted leader of the Decepticons!" Starscream announced.

"But I thought that was Megatron," Bulkhead commented.

"_Silence_ Autobot filth!" Starscream fired a null blast at Bulkhead sending him and the nearby Bumblebee flying into the wall. Optimus and Ratchet tried to help them, but they were blasted as well. Prowl ran at the Decepticon. Starscream flew into the air and shot at Prowl.

"You can run Autobot! But you can't hide!" Prowl easily dodged the attacks. He then leapt up a fire escape onto the top of a building. Starscream launched himself at Prowl, but passed right through the hologram. The real Prowl leapt onto Starscream's back and, using his knowledge of Aero-Fu, managed to cause Starscream to fly out of control. Starscream grabbed Prowl and threw him off his back. Prowl then crashed onto a small car's hood. Ratchet took a look at him. Prowl would be okay.

"Is that all you've got?" Starscream laughed, "I was expecting a little more of a challenge from such great heroes." Suddenly he felt something wrap around his ankles. Prime had managed to grab Starscream with his bolo cables.

"Oh please." Starscream flew skyward and pulled Optimus off the ground. Starscream tried his best to shake off the Autobot but he was persistent. No matter how many buildings he whacked into, he wouldn't let go. Starscream then decided to take more extreme measures. He flew straight up.

"I was sure you would've let go by now! But you're just too _slagging_ persistent! But _this_ should take care of you!" Starscream fired at the cable sending Optimus plummeting. But then, Optimus's gauntlets glowed with pink electricity. Ratchet was trying to save him. He began slowing down, but not enough for this not to hurt. Optimus slammed into the roof of a truck. He was sore in every inch of his body but he was alive.

"Prime!" Ratchet called. He and Bulkhead ran and knelt beside him. "You okay?"

"I'll live," he groaned.

"You call yourselves heroes?!" Starscream lowered himself to the ground, "You're pathetic. You are inferior! _I_ am better! _I_ was the one who defeated the great Megatron! Not you! I planted the bomb! His fate was sealed before he even _reached your ship_! Now, bring me the AllSpark Autobot scum."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Optimus denied.

"Really? Too bad," Starscream whimpered. He smirked, flew up, and pointed his blaster at the Sumdacs, Fanzone, Bumblebee, and Edsel. "I guess I'll just have to kill those _runts_ over there for _no good reason_!" The group scattered as Starscream fired at them randomly, sometimes missing just for the fun of watching them.

"Quick in there!" Fanzone pointed at the train. They all ran to the train as Starscream blasted away. Starscream suddenly took fancy for the child and attacked the ground all around her.

"Sari!" Bumblebee screamed. Starscream decided to show his seriousness in the AllSpark matter and fired straight for the child, But Bumblebee leapt into the way taking the blow in his back.

"Bumblebee!" Sari cried. She ran to him. There was a gaping hole in the back of his jacket and a severe burn on his back. Panic ran through her body. Was he dead? Unconscious? Sari was terrified for her fallen friend and the fear was only intensed when she realized: there was nothing she could do.

Starscream shoved Sari out of the way, grabbed Bumblebee by his arm, and showed the body to the other Autobots.

"_Now let's try this again_. Bring me the AllSpark Autobot scum!" Starscream demanded.

"My name is Optimus Prime!" Optimus shouted proudly, "And I'm prepared to sacrifice my life to defend the AllSpark!"

"But are you willing to sacrifice theirs?" Starscream barked. He tossed Bumblebee into the train with the others. "You Autobots and your _pathetic_ heroics. You have but one hour to bring me the AllSpark, or else this vessel and all its contents will perish!" Starscream activated the super-strength function of his armor to lift the train with only some effort, "Then I'll tear this city apart until I find the AllSpark myself!" Starscream flew away with the train to the top of Sumdac Tower. Then waited...


	7. Keep Away

"Give up the AllSpark, or sacrifice innocent lives," Optimus told himself, "How am I supposed to decide?!"

"It's the _heroes_ who make the tough choices," Ratchet consoled.

"Maybe Ultra Magnus was right. I was never meant to be a hero," Optimus said.

"You know," Prowl interrupted, "a wise man once told me that a machine was greater as a whole than any one component part. I didn't understand him then. But I think now I do. Now tell me Prime, are you still a part of this machine?" Prowl held out his hand. Prime thought for a second, nodded, and put his hand on top of Prowl's. Bulkhead did the same followed by Ratchet and then Sari.

"Okay, so here's my plan," She said.

**********************************************************************

"What's wrong with it?" Sari moaned.

"It's too dangerous," Prime said.

"It's simple! You, Bulkhead, and Ratchet distract Starscream while Prowl and I sneak on board and—"

"No Sari!"

"My _Dad_ is on that train! And so is the _best_ friend I've ever had! And I'm not gonna lose both of them!" Sari cried.

"Alright! We'll _consider_ your plan," Optimus interrupted.

"Sucker," Sari smirked to herself.

*******************************************************************

Starscream stood on top of Sumdac Tower, waiting for the Autobots to arrive with the AllSpark. Soon enough he would have all the power in the universe. He checked the time. Within ten minutes he'd either have the AllSpark all to himself or get to crash a train full of people who he'd found out were highly regarded in this place. Then he'd get to tear apart the entire city, and find it. Either way he'd win. He couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Starscream!" Starscream looked down. The Autobots had finally arrived.

"We have what you want!" Optimus announced from on top of a building. On a nearby high-rise highway, Ratchet and Bulkhead were holding the AllSpark. "Now let the others go!"

"Leave the AllSpark unguarded! Or I will destroy all of them!" Starscream threatened, pointing his laser at the train.

"Bring the hostages down! Or I'll destroy the AllSpark!" Optimus returned.

"Don't try to deceive a Decepticon Autobot," Starscream advised, "We are the masters of _deception_!" Starscream floated down to retrieve his prize.

"You think I'm bluffing?!" Optimus pulled out his axe and prepared to throw it with all his force at the AllSpark, "Bulkhead! Ratchet! Stand back!"

"_Wait_!" Starscream interrupted Optimus's throw halfway, "Let's not be so hasty shall we?" Starscream floated up to Optimus's eye level.

*********************************************************************

Meanwhile, Prowl and Sari were hiding on top of a zeppelin. When it flew close enough to the Tower, Prowl put on his jump jets. Sari grabbed onto his waist.

"Hold on tight," he told her. He activated the jets and flew up to the tower.

"Hey, what's going on out there?" Fanzone tried to get a look at what was happening below when a red haired girl blocked his view.

"A rescue, that's what," She told him.

"Sari," Isaac looked at her daughter, "How did you get up here?"

"The same way you're going down," Prowl answered. The others looked at each other. Isaac grabbed his right arm, Edsel grabbed his left arm, and Fanzone grabbed his neck. Prowl moved to the edge and leapt.

"This is why I _hate_ flying!" Fanzone shouted on the way down.

Meanwhile, Sari had stayed behind and knelt next to Bumblebee. She checked his heart. It was still beating, but slowly. She took off her key and placed it inside his forehead. She felt his heartbeat. It was speeding up. He suddenly opened his eyes wide and jumped straight up.

"Starscre—! OW!" Bumblebee had hit his head on the ceiling and was now rubbing the top of his head.

"When you wake up, you really wake up," Sari commented.

***********************************************************************

"This is why I hate flying!" Starscream heard. He turned around to see someone leaping down with his captives to a zeppelin.

"What's this?" he gasped, "Someone messing with my hostages?!" He flew after them but was stopped. He was being held in a pink electromagnetic field by the old Autobot. He tried to break free of the field but it was too strong so he shot a null blast at the old man. He was released from the field and spun out of control. And if that wasn't bad enough, Optimus shot him in the face with foam then took out his jets. He plummeted and was hit by Bulkhead's wrecking ball.

Starscream quickly recovered and darted back to Sumdac Tower. Bumblebee had awoken and was trying to shoot bolts of lightning at him. Starscream easily dodged them. Prowl on the other hand flew ahead of him and attacked him with ninja stars making more successful hits.

"Gah!" Starscream grabbed his face as one of the stars connected with his cheek. He rubbed the blood off. "So, you want to fight _dirty_ do you?" He shot up above the tower and then back towards the tram at full speed. "Then you'd better be prepared to go _all the way!_" He fired a null blast at the tram and knocked it over the edge of the tower, sending the train plummeting...

**************************************************************************

"There, I've kept my promise," Starscream smiled, "Now it's your turn to keep yours!" Starscream flew at Ratchet and Bulkhead, but Optimus was closer and reached them sooner.

"Bulkhead! Ratchet! Go help the others! I'll keep Starscream busy!" Optimus picked up the AllSpark and ran as fast as he could while the others went to Sumdac Tower.

*********************************************************************

Bumblebee and Prowl, meanwhile, were trying to crawl against the wind resistance to the train door. There was no way they could reach it in time so they decided to make one out of the ceiling. Bumblebee blasted at the metal with his stingers in concentrated bursts while Prowl was trying to slice a hole with his ninja stars.

"Hang on Sari! We're coming!" Bumblebee assured. When they'd cut through the ceiling enough, Bumblebee ripped off the metal and reach out to Sari who was gripping onto a support beam for dear life.

"Take my hand!" Sari wildly shook her head in fear.

"You can trust this face, can't you?" Bumblebee quoted with the same innocent smile she'd given him. She glanced away then reached out and took his hand. Once he had a grip on her, he pulled her close so she could wrap his arms around her neck while he held her by the waist.

"Hang on tight!" They both looked down to see the ground was coming up too fast for comfort.

*******************************************************************

Optimus leapt out of the way just as Starscream crashed down.

"That was a nice grab, Autobot. But you'll have to be _a lot_ faster if you want to escape _me!_" Starscream took to the air and shot at him from above. "I bet you'd be able to run a lot faster if you didn't have to carry that heavy load!"

******************************************************************

Prowl and Bumblebee leapt away from the train just as its nose slammed into the ground. Prowl floated in the air using his jump jets while Bumblebee and Sari were suspended by a purple electromagnetic field. He and Sari looked down to see Ratchet and Bulkhead.

"Guess there's still some spunk left in the old man after all!" Ratchet cheered. He slowly set down Bumblebee who in turn set down Sari.

"Ratchet! Think fast!" Ratchet turned to see Optimus had thrown the AllSpark at his face.

"Aw crud," Ratchet groaned just before catching the AllSpark with his magnetizers. Starscream landed in front of him and tried to snatch the AllSpark, but Ratchet threw it away. It bounced off the train's wreckage and landed in Bumblebee's arms. He activated the motorized wheels on the bottom of his shoes, Sari grabbed onto his back, and they rolled off with Starscream hot on their trail.

"I know this game!" Sari announced, "It's called 'Keep Away'!" She looked back to see Starscream getting closer. "Think you can go any faster?"

"It's not about how fast you go," Bumblebee stated, "It's about how fast you can stop!" On "stop" he skidded to a halt. Using the forward momentum, Bumblebee threw the AllSpark with all his might sending it flying down the street with Starscream chasing after it hungrily. Prowl caught the AllSpark and tossed it onto a truck's bed. He gave it a well placed kick and sent it rolling down the road's slope. The truck crashed into a fire hydrant sending the AllSpark into the air.

"I got it! I got it!" Bulkhead reached out to grab at it, but his clumsy hands were unable to catch it. Starscream took advantage of this weakness and snatched the AllSpark.

"Foolish Autobot!" he laughed, "Did you really think you could keep the AllSpark from me—YAH!" Bulkhead interrupted his speech with a wrecking ball to the gut. This time Bulkhead caught the AllSpark.

"I said, '_I got it_'." Bulkhead pulled back his wrecking ball and shrunk it back down to baseball sized. Optimus and the other Autobots soon arrived.

"Nice teamwork Autobot!" Optimus commended the excellent skills of his fellow teammates. Bulkhead handed him the AllSpark with a smile. "Now let's get this back to the ship before—" Optimus was interrupted by a powerful null ray blast that blew away the road, ripped apart buildings, and shattered glass.

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF _TOYING_ WITH YOU PUNY AUTOBOTS!" Starscream exploded. The blast lasted only twelve seconds yet had completely annihilated the nearby area. The Autobots lay groaning on the ground. Starscream swiped the AllSpark away from the wreckage and flew above the city, safe from any more interruptions.

"At last!" he cheered, "The AllSpark IS _MINE_!" He opened the casing and pulled out the blue orb. The power immediately coursed through his body. He focused the energy to his blaster and fired at a building. The huge blast obliterated the building and three nearby while the force of it tore the entire block to shreds.

"IT'S MORE _POWERFUL_ THAN I _EVER_ IMAGINED!" Starscream cackled.

The Autobots helplessly watched in horror as the greatest artifact in the universe was used as a weapon of mass destruction.

"It's our worst nightmare come to life," Ratchet spoke, "The AllSpark. In Decepticon hands..."

"Not without a fight," Optimus declared.


	8. Optimus Is Dead

Optimus dug the spikes on his boots into the walls of Sumdac Tower while using his axe to help him remain stable as he climbed up. Starscream giddily and madly blasted away at the city and didn't notice the Autobot coming ever closer.

"Now nothing will stop me from _crushing_ the Autobots and taking control of the Decepticons! I will rein SUPREME!" he cackled madly. His laughing, however, was interrupted by an axe thrown at his wing and was now dug in. He looked behind himself to see Optimus Prime leaping at him. He grappled Starscream by the waist and delivered several punches and kicks as Starscream tried to fight him off.

"Stop! You're messing up my flight!" Starscream barked. They fell downwards onto a roof top with Optimus using Starscream to absorb the impact. He snatched away the AllSpark orb and used his bolo cable grappler to swing from a building. Starscream had recovered and tackled him from behind. They crashed through a window and out the other side.

Optimus lost his grip and almost fell when he managed to grab onto Starscream's leg. He crawled his way up Starscream's back and pulled his axe out of the wing. When Starscream tried to look at him, Optimus blasted his face with foam. Starscream and Optimus spun out of control and crashed into the zeppelin. On its roof, they fought for the basketball-sized orb.

"Let go Autobot!" Starscream demanded.

"_Never_! The AllSpark is life!" Optimus proclaimed bravely.

"Then you will _perish_!" Starscream pointed his blaster at Optimus and tried to channel the AllSpark energy to the blaster. Optimus also channeled some of the energy to his hand, and when Starscream fired, he blocked it with a blast that had erupted from his palm. The colliding powers created a force that blew off parts of Starscream's armor and shredded Optimus's jacket.

Then time seemed to stop. The blast had ripped a hole in space and they now floated in some place of swirling blue clouds. Starscream's grip finally became too weak and he was blown away into the clouds of blue.

Suddenly Optimus felt like water washed over him and he was back in Detroit, falling down from a fatal height.

*******************************************************************

Optimus tried to use his grappler to save himself but the cable snapped. He crashed into the ground. Pain shot all over his body. It was too intense. There was no way he could move. The others arrived.

"Optimus! Optimus are you okay?!" the others cried.

"Optimus?" Sari gasped. She was kneeling next to him, holding his hand assuringly.

"So this," Optimus closed his eyes, "is what it feels like... to be a hero..." He exhaled and stopped breathing. Sari felt his grip relax.

Optimus Prime was dead...


	9. Sumdac's Secret

********************************************************************

"No! You can't die! You just can't!" Sari sobbed.

"He went saving the AllSpark," Prowl looked at the blue orb, "That's what matters."

"Ratchet! Help him or something!" Sari demanded. Ratchet looked away solemnly.

"There's nothing we can do. Nothing can bring him back," he choked.

"I know what can," Sari pulled her key off her neck.

"Sari," Bumblebee put his hand on her shoulder, "There are some things that can't be fixed. Even by your key." She brushed him off and placed the key against his chest.

"Prime didn't give up!" she proclaimed, "And neither will I!" The tip of key glowed and slipped inside. Its energy shot through the Prime's body. But it wasn't enough to bring him back. She turned it and the AllSpark orb glowed hot and shot a blast at the key like lightning. It channeled its energy through the key and into Prime. All of Optimus's wounds healed immediately. His bones snapped back into place. Then Sari could feel his heart beat. His grip tightened. He gasped and coughed.

"Is this," he breathed, "the Well of All Sparks?"

"No, it's Detroit," Sari sniffed.

*******************************************************************

"As Detroit recovers from this devastating clash of the titans," the anchor man announced, "the Autobots prove themselves to be even _greater_ heroes by not only defeating the villain now identified as Starscream, but also by helping Detroit pick up the pieces of the fantastic fight. And despite the great damage done and some lives lost, the Autobots remain heroes in the eyes of hundreds leaving only two words on everyone's lips: 'Thank you.'"

Isaac Sumdac clicked off the television. He couldn't bear watching any more. The guilt had become too great.

"I wouldn't know where to _begin_ thanking them," he sighed. He got out of his chair and moved to the door.

"But if they knew the truth about my robotic empire, would they ever forgive me?" he wondered. He switched off the lab and left. One by one, all the lights in the room switched off until only one remained.

A large glass container with several pieces of equipment surrounding it sat in the back of the lab. And within the stasis pod, behind the fogged glass wall, a shadow could be made out. The shadow of a broken man...

**********************************************************************

END


End file.
